The court sentenced Simon Aykut to five years in prison for the illegal appropriation of land in the TRNC.

The Nicosia District Court sentenced Simon Aykut to five years of imprisonment for the illegal appropriation of land belonging to Greek Cypriot owners in the territory controlled by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Aykut pleaded guilty to 40 charges related to “fraudulent transactions involving property belonging to other persons.” The panel of judges, chaired by Judge Christiana Parpotta, announced the verdict on Friday morning.

The crimes concerned 40 plots of land with a total area of about 386,000 square meters and an estimated value of €38.9 million, according to the Land Registry Department’s assessment.

Five large residential complexes were built on these plots.

Aykut admitted that he was involved in the development and sale of real estate built on plots that, under international law, are considered Greek Cypriot property.

The maximum penalty for such offenses can reach seven years in prison, but the court imposed five years, taking into account the guilty plea and the period of detention since June 2024.

This decision became a precedent, as it was the first time a person was convicted for appropriating Greek Cypriot land in the occupied part of the island.